Summer Abundance Main Dish Salad

Between raindrops, we've been enjoying the grill. Honestly, we grill year-'round since we have home-grown beef in the freezer, but, during the summer, there's more lingering on the backyard swing and listening to the birds call in the trees while the steaks or burgers are cooking. Winter or summer, the cats always linger longingly in the vicinity, hoping some of that aroma will end up in their dish. And they do eventually get the scraps.

This recipe combines grilled steak with the fresh fruits of summer. Farmers' markets may have Kansas-grown strawberries at their stands right about now, though the season is way too short. Even if you have to rely on the grocery store's produce section, there are plenty of specials on fresh fruits at this time of year. The season never lasts long enough to suit me. I'm always a little sad when the price for a box of blueberries or raspberries makes it a luxury, rather than an option. (I guess I should be happy for the berry farmers.)

Thankfully, Randy doesn't have to have a meat-and-potatoes offering every meal, so a main dish salad can take center stage at noon with this Summer Abundance Main Dish Salad. It's dressed up with a homemade raspberry dressing and Maple-Bourbon Pecans. If you don't have time to make homemade dressing, top with bottled raspberry vinaigrette.

You could also make a chicken farmer happy and use chicken instead. Or support a fishery with salmon to top the salad.

 

You can build these salads for any number of diners. That's why I didn't put amounts for the lettuces and fruits. For those with hearty appetites, arrange a big hand-full of greens as the salad's base. I used a combination of romaine and spinach, but mixed greens also are tasty. Use a luncheon plate for a smaller serving. Add your selected summer fruits. Sprinkle with feta cheese. Top with the freshly-grilled steak. Just before serving, add the dressing to taste and sprinkle with the pecans.

Summer Abundance Salad

with Grilled Steak and Maple-Bourbon Pecans

Seasoned, grilled steak - 3-4 ounces per serving
Spinach
Romaine lettuce or mixed greens
Strawberries
Blackberries
Raspberries
Peeled orange, cut up
Feta cheese
Maple-Bourbon Pecans (recipe below)
Raspberry Dressing (recipe below)

Maple-Bourbon Pecans:
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. real maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp. bourbon
1 cup pecan halves
Pinch of coarse sea salt

Raspberry Dressing
10 raspberries
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. dried tarragon (or 3 tbsp. fresh)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup olive oil

For the dressing: Combine the 10 raspberries, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, tarragon and salt in the bowl or a food processor or blender. Process until the raspberries are pureed. With the processor running slowly, pour the oil through the chute until combined. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

For pecans: Place a piece of parchment paper or a silpat mat on the counter and set aside. Add brown sugar, butter and maple syrup in a small skillet over medium heat. Once melted and bubbling, stir in bourbon and then pecans. Cook while stirring constantly until mixture begins to crystallize around the pecan halves. Spread pecans onto prepared surface and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Cool completely. If you don't use them all for the salad, store in a tightly-sealed plastic bag and use for more salads or for snacking.

To assemble the salad: Put a nest of mixed greens on each diner's plate. Top with fresh seasonal fruits and feta cheese as desired. Sprinkle with Maple-Bourbon Pecans. When ready to serve, top with homemade raspberry dressing. 

Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

As I type this, the thermometer is valiantly trying to climb above the 40-degree mark. And I'm thinking that, as usual, I have impeccable timing ... NOT.

Sharing this recipe in July or August or even September would have been the smart thing to do. After all, that's the height of grilling season, and grilling is the genius behind these Chili Lime Tacos. But, if I look ahead to the weekend, temperatures will be on the rise. And with tailgaters firing up the grills again for another weekend of college football, perhaps the timing will rival that enviable connection between quarterback and sure-handed receiver. (That's what I'll tell myself anyway.)

Jill and Eric were actually the chefs behind this tasty meal. While they didn't serve it at a tailgate, they did offer it as supper after an earlier K-State football game this fall.

We enjoyed a meal on their back deck after the game with able table-setting assistance from a little K-State football fan. 

Somehow, sharing the recipe got lost among corn reports and hay auctions and unplanned journeys.

So when I saw the photos hanging out in my blog drafts, I decided not to punt until next summer. Chili Lime Chicken Tacos with Grilled Pineapple Salsa was a recipe Jill found at the blog, Carlsbad Cravings. The blog has become one of her new favorites for adding new recipes at their house.

I don't use chicken regularly in my meal planning at home for a couple of reasons:

1)  We have a freezer full of beef.
2)  Randy says he's not a big fan of chicken.

However, if he orders chicken "something" at a restaurant, I always give him "the look," questioning why I so fastidiously avoid the bird on our home menu. And, for the record, he thought these tacos were mighty good.

Chili Lime Tacos 
with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

From Carlsbad Cravings blog

1 recipe all-purpose chili lime chicken (below)
1 recipe grilled pineapple salsa (below)
4 flour tortillas or 6-8 small corn tortillas
1/2 cup favorite cheese, more or less

Prepare Chili Lime Chicken and Grilled Pineapple Salsa according to directions. To assemble, grill tortillas lightly. Top with chicken, salsa and cheese as desired. Add guacamole and other taco toppings as desired. May serve with rice, chips, beans, etc.

Chili Lime Chicken

1 lb. chicken breasts pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
Chili Lime Rub
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder (optional for more heat)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. fresh-squeezed lime juice
Lime zest from 1 lime

In small bowl, whisk chicken rub ingredients together and rub evenly over chicken breasts. Time permitting, allow chicken to sit for 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate up to 8 hours, then bring to room temperature before cooking.

To grill: If chicken has been refrigerated, let sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes. Grease and preheat the grill to medium heat, 375 to 450 degrees. Grill chicken undisturbed for 5-7 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through. (An inserted thermometer should read 165 degrees F.) Remove chicken from grill and let rest 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with extra fresh lime juice, if desired.

Note:  You may use the stovetop to cook the chicken, using a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

(Makes 3 1/2 cups)

1/2 ripe pineapple, trimmed and sliced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and quartered
1 whole jalapeno pepper
1/2 small red onion, peeled and cut in half
1 1/2 cups loosely-packed cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp. lime juice
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil

Grease grill and heat to medium-high heat. Drizzle red onions with olive oil and thread onto a metal skewer. Drizzle red bell pepper and jalapeno with olive oil to lightly coat.

Working in batches as needed, depending on the grill size, grill pineapple and vegetables at medium-high heat until tender and lightly charred all over, about 12 minutes for onions, turning occasionally; and about 8 to 10 minutes for the pineapple, or until caramelized, flipping once; 6 minutes for the red bell peppers, flipping once; and jalapeno for 3-5 minutes, turning occasionally.

Once cool enough to handle, dab off any excess oil on vegetables with paper towels. Devein and de-seed jalapeno pepper and dice. Chop pineapple and remaining grilled vegetables into bite-sized pieces.

Stir together pineapple and all veggies, spices and cilantro in a large bowl. Can be served immediately, but it's better chilled.

Summer Berry Main Dish Salad

Summer berries are still in season. While I am content to rinse them and eat them straight from the carton, I also like using them in fresh salads. The season never lasts long enough to suit me. I'm always a little sad when the price for a box of blueberries or raspberries makes it a luxury, rather than an option. (I guess I should be happy for the berry farmers.)

Anyway, I found a recipe for a salad and a blueberry vinaigrette online, but I wanted to make some revisions to make it a main dish salad. I chopped some hearts of romaine for the base, and I added some other seasonal fruits still on sale. For protein, add grilled chicken breast or grilled steak. (This beef-producing family would have used the photos of the steak, but we just may have gotten it a little on the medium well side instead of medium. Oh the joys of grilling! I did extra meat so that I could use it for fajitas for another meal.)

Crumbled goat cheese added smoothness and homemade candied walnuts added the contrast of crunch. The original recipe called for a couple ears of sweet corn, but I added some field corn instead, since that was readily available in the field across the road.

While I regularly use commercially-made dressings, this homemade blueberry vinaigrette with honey, balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard added just the right mix of sweet and sour to the salad. Enjoy!

Summer Berry Main Dish Salad

Serves 4

2 hearts of romaine lettuce, chopped
2 ears sweet corn, shucked and kernels cut from cob
3/4 cup raspberries
3/4 cup blueberries
3/4 cup strawberries, sliced
3/4 cup Bing cherry slices (cutting away from the pit)
3/4 cup green grapes
4 oz. goat cheese
Sugared walnut or pecan halves (opt.)
Seasoned and grilled chicken or steak (about 3-4 oz. for each serving)

Blueberry-Balsamic Vinaigrette

(Dressing recipe from Iowa Girl Eats)

1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. honey
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For meat:  I marinated the chicken breasts in Kraft Zesty Lime Vinaigrette. I used a dry steak rub for the steak. Grill the meats until done. Let rest, then cut into strips and add about 3 to 4 ounces of grilled chicken or beef to each main dish salad.

For dressing: Combine all ingredients and use blender to mix well. Set aside. Stir before using.

Chop romaine lettuce and divide among four plates or bowls. Distribute fresh fruits and corn equally on the four salads. Using a fork to break it up, put about 1 ounce of goat cheese on each salad. Just before serving, top with sugared walnuts. Top with Blueberry-Balsamic Vinaigrette to taste.

Note:  You may purchase sugared walnuts or another nut of your choice. You may also make your own by putting 1 cup walnuts in a heavy-duty skillet. Add 1/4 cup sugar. Heat on high heat, watching it closely. When the sugar starts to melt, keep stirring and evenly coat the nuts, taking care not to burn them. Remove from heat and put on parchment paper; allow to cool before using. You won't use all of these nuts for the salads, but put in an airtight container for use in other salads, etc.

Another idea: If you prefer a saltier component, add shelled pistachios instead of the sugared nuts.

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